Dress to Kill

In a superior stand-up comedy performance called Dress to Kill, Eddie Izzard spins free-flowing jokes about San Francisco (where the comedy concert was filmed), transvestitism, squirrels, American optimism, Hitler, the British royal family, mass murder, and Stonehenge–and that’s only the first 30 minutes.

The centerpiece of the performance is a retelling of British history from Stonehenge through to the Reformation. This is done with Izzard adopting a very Italian accent (and miming riding on a Vespa) to signify the Pope talking to Henry VIII (“who is Sean Connery for this film”) and explaining that he can’t marry as many wives as he wants to.

This is set against the backdrop of Martin Luther pinning his 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg Cathedral, a paper that reads “Einen Minuten bitte. Ich habe einen kleinen Problemo avec diese Religione.” “He was from everywhere,” explains Izzard to great cheers from the audience. Similar to his use of Sean Connery as the voice of Henry VIII, he uses the voice of James Mason as the voice of God.

His mercurial patter is sprinkled with four-letter words, but his twinkling glances make this more mischievous than crude. Izzard has delivered some excellent performances in movies (like Velvet Goldmine and The Cat’s Meow), but it’s on stage that he really explodes with daffy wit and charisma. Simply brilliant and completely addictive; you will want to watch this over and over.

It’s as if this ingenious comedian says whatever comes off the top of his head, but giving that impression demands cunning and skill; Izzard romps through human history and transforms surprisingly complex ideas into biting satire–as well as knockout bits of sublime frivolity, like describing the movie Speed entirely in French. — (more…)

About the Author/Founder of The Stand-up Comedy Professional

Steve Roye is the author of the Killer Stand-up Comedy System and author of the content made available in the Comedy Pro Membership Program available on this site.

Over the past decade, Steve has established himself as a leading, globally recognized expert in the field of stand-up comedy material development, delivery and entertainment business strategies for comedy entertainers as well as speaking professionals.

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